


Comes Full Circle

by TinyMartini



Category: Creepypasta - Fandom
Genre: All Three Of Those More Implied Than Shown, Altered Mental States, Attempted Murder, Being Defeated By The Power Of Friendship, Eyeless Jack Is Feral, Jeff Is About To Be Thrown Out Of The Car, Mental Instability, Murder, Redemption, Road Trips, The Issues That Come With Being Possessed By An Eldritch Creature, Unethical Human Experimentation, What Would You Do For Your Siblings?, You know Marble Hornets, cursing, grey morality, like that, of both kinds
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-04
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:55:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27387535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TinyMartini/pseuds/TinyMartini
Summary: Humans adapt, they find solutions for everything. If there's a disease then they find a cure. If there is a horde of super powered murderers, strange creatures, and other dimensional beings causing havoc then they make E.S.13.Also found on Quotev with the same name. This is going to be edited from that version though.
Relationships: Eyeless Jack & Original Character(s), Jeffrey Woods | Jeff the Killer & Original Character(s), Original Character/Original Character
Comments: 1
Kudos: 6





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> No, the Quotev version isn't popular. I just had this account and I wanted to put something on it that wasn't completely original work you know. And I'm like always on this site might as well start giving back lmao. Anyway, this version will be updated after the version on Quotev.
> 
> Finally, feel free to comment, hope you enjoy!

The concrete is cold. A wind shivers by. They are standing on a hill in a vacant town. Somewhere in the north. They weren't told where. They are here for a task. One that they will regret, they know. But it must be done because the Handler (mean) said it must. And so it will. They force themselves to feel pride at how the Handler (nice) requested them for this task. They net out their senses once again. They are listening for movement. They have already handled all the small crawling things and all the squawking flapping things but have yet to sense their real target.

All they hear now is the wind.

The snapping of flags.

The lake water lapping at the docks.

Settling of snow.

Creaking wood.

They tilt their head.

Skin against cold metal.

Steady breathing.

Puffs of steam out of its mouth.

Target has shown itself.

They speed towards the singular warm body. Across the empty streets. The snow-covered parkways and the icy docks. Target isn't ready. They are first to act. They throw Target. Target hits a wall hard and yells. It's loud but it's only one sound. Target recovers quickly. Target points a knife. They grab and throw the knife. Target starts loud noises but doesn't act further. Target raises hands. They have been told to take the target live. They approach. When they are close Target grabs their shoulders and forces its knee into the center of their chest.

They hurt. Target sprints east. Towards forest. They cannot let Target reach the forest. They hurt. They chase. They are slower than Target. They hurt. But the Handlers cannot be disappointed. So they chase. They easily track Target's noise wake. They hurt. They decide to intercept.

They are waiting. They are sunk into the silence. Target slowed down after they broke off. Target is still on the same trajectory. So they wait. The hurt they felt has faded. But as they touch their center chest it still feels hurt. They hear the crunch of Target's steps. Target's steady breathing. How much warmer Target is.

Target is close now. 10 feet away. Target isn't ready. They slam Target into the ground. Target bounces. Target rolls to get up. They slam Target again. Target groans. They slam him again. Target is silent. They wait. Target is unmoving but Target isn't cooling down.

They call the Handler (nice).

* * *

Wallace Asher hated his job. Don't get him wrong it's a pretty cushy job. All he really has to do is talk all soft to Essie, well E.S.13, and just play good cop really. For a college drop out the pay was irresistible even with some moral issues stacked in there. In the 5 years Wallace has worked for Shepherd Security Labs he has already paid off his college debt, bought a two-room single-floor house, and adopted three chihuahuas.

Right now Wallace was driving to pick up Essie from where they had been sent to capture like this weird guy. The guy, in Wallace's opinion, was trying way too hard to emulate those old 80's slasher films. Like cutting his mouth open and burning off his eyelids would do anything. Hart, the project leader, had set this weirdo as one of the easier targets for Essie.

Wallace feels a sense of satisfaction as he stops on the street that Essie is waiting for him on. He gets out of the car and just looks at the guy lying unconscious in the snow. Wallace thinks that maybe he likes his job just the smallest amount.

Essie looks at him. He turns and opens the door for the spacious, and quadruple reinforced back seat. "E.S.13 be a dear and pack him in for me. You can ride in the front." Wallace didn't want to try and lift the almost 6-foot man, he wasn't built for that kind of work. Essie lifted the body and maneuvered him into the back seat, even going as far as to buckle him in. After all this time Wallace still struggles to understand just how Essie can pick things up without even touching it. Well, he was a college dropout for a reason so he just puts it aside and turns up the heat in the car for the ride back.

* * *

The car cabin was warm. They curled up on the seat. They rarely got to ride in the cabin, the Handler (nice) lets them. They turned their head towards the Handler (nice). Handler (nice) glances over. Handler (nice) hands them a small radio from his pocket. Handler (nice) is wearing a long, thick jacket. They think fluffy. They turn the radio over in their hands. It's the size of their palm, it has a small extendable antenna, volume control buttons, a speaker, and a dial. They turn the dial. The crackle startles them a bit. They tune to a station that is someone speaking softly, then one with many speaking loudly, then one playing soft string instruments. They stop on that one. Then they tune to a station that is playing loud banging noises, then one that had one man speaking fast and loud, then Handler (nice) says "E.S.13 please just play the classical music channel, ok?" They carefully tune it back to the soft string instruments.

They sit in the car cabin as Handler (nice) drives and listens as the music shifts from soft strings to crooning wind to tinkling piano and back again. They tilt their head. There is a banging. From the backseat. Target is awake. They think to tell Handler (nice). The labs are close. They don't tell Handler (nice).

At the gate, to the lab, the gateman steps back when they notice them in the passenger seat. But still, let's the car through. Handler (nice) parks in the secure underground driveway. The heavy doors close off the driveway. There is no way out of the area except to travel further into the labs. Handler (mean) is waiting. Handler (nice) takes back the radio. Handler (nice) gets out of the car. Handler (mean) is on him in a second. "Wallace! What is E.S.13 doing in the passenger seat! You know that's a security risk!" She rounds on them when they step out of the vehicle "And you! Who knows who could've seen you! Or tried to kidnap you! You should know better!"

Handler (nice) speaks up "Now Sasha I couldn't just let E.S.13 ride in the back with that weirdo!" Handler (mean) stops

"What."

"Hart decided to see if E.S.13 could work in real-life conditions." Handler (nice) did a poor impression of the Supervisor. "They actually caught one of those crazies that are just going around you know." Handler (mean) straightened herself and said to them "Great job E.S.13. I'll call Hart. Wallace, you call security to bring this 'weirdo' to secure containment." Handler (nice) gasps "No you don't! You aren't getting the credit for this! You didn't even know it was happening!" Handler (mean) already having a phone to her ear "I only didn't know because Hart went behind my back." Handler (nice) goes to respond but Handler (mean) puts her hand up and turns away from him.

They wait as the Handlers make their calls. There is still banging from the backseat. It's louder now that the car is stopped. They approach and put the side of their head to the door. They can hear Target grumbling and yelling. They think to tell the Handlers but the security team is already entering. They float a distance away. The security team gets nervous around them. They are told that the security team wears helmets like their own but has a part they can see through. A visor they think. They would like a visor on their helmet.

The team circles the car. The Handlers come to stand at either side of them. A member of the team nods to them. They open the backseat. Target comes shooting out. Target tackles over a member. Target punches the member. There is a crack. The member tries to shove Target off. They move to help. Another member gestures for them to stand back. A member closer to Target puts their gun in his face. Target grabs the barrel and pulls it out of their hand. A member behind Target shoots him with the tranquilizer. Target turns. Another tranquilizer dart. Target tries to stand. Another dart. Target's knees buckle and he falls.

The team waits, uncertain guns pointing at the target. Then the member on the ground gets up and shakes Target a bit. "He's down" two team members pick Target up and move him out of the driveway. The injured member and one other member walks them and the Handlers to a meeting room. Then the injured one and the extra one move on down the hall.

The Supervisor is waiting in the meeting room. The Supervisor motions them over. The Supervisor plugs their helmet into a computer and downloads the tasks data. They are unplugged "Return to your room now." The Supervisor says to them. They leave for their room.

In their room, there is a bed. In their room there is Crawlie. Crawlie is a rat. Crawlie is soft and squeaks. Crawlie is like them. They love(?) Crawlie and Crawlie loves(?) Them. Crawlie is squeaking at them. They pick Crawlie up gently with both of their hands. Crawlie could just lift itself but it likes being picked up by them. They sit on the bed and set Crawlie on their lap. Crawlie is fat. They like to sneak bits of their food to Crawlie. Crawlie squirms in their lap. They pet it. They speak. Their voice crackling and low "Craw-Crawlie I hur-t many crawling thingz, I m sor-ry." Crawlie looks up at them, stands up, and noses their helmet. Forgiveness. They relax. They lay down with Crawlie on their chest.


	2. Chapter 2

Sasha Marshal loved her work but would rather have different coworkers. Her job was to keep Essie alive. Wallace, if left alone, would just let them do whatever. There would be no structure, no routine! God forbid they would be eating candy for dinner! Before she got here Wallace already let them keep a rat! In their room! With no cage!

But Wallace isn't the coworker that has earned her anger at this moment, for once. It was Hart, that bi-ee went behind her back and sent Essie on a mission without Sashas' permission. Essie could've not been ready, they could've gotten seriously hurt.

"Hart! What were you thinking! Going behind my back like that! Your lucky nothing happened!" Hart was just looking at the data from Essie. "Hart! Answer me!" Wallace shifts uncomfortably more into the corner of the room. Sasha slaps her hands flat onto the table and glares at Hart. Until Hart looks up and says "The target captured is Jeffery Woods called by the media the 'Goodnight Killer' and called by his internet _fans_ 'Jeff the Killer'. I have already sent scientists to run tests on him. But from E.S.13s data, it seems that he has some superhuman speed." Wallace interrupts "I don't think that's what Sasha wants to hear Hart." Sashas hands have clenched to white knuckles. Hart turns to Sasha. Sasha says through gritted teeth "Wallace leave." Wallace does so with hesitance looking back several times until he shuts the door.

"Hart for God's sake. You know we can't take risks like this with Ess-E.S.13. They are the _only_ human test subject to survive this far. You can't do this Hart." Sasha has sat down at one of the chairs closer to Hart. She leans in "I know you want results. I know you need this to work. But for this to work you need to trust that I know how to do my job. You can't go and throw them into danger without telling me." She reaches out and sets her hand on Hart's arm "What would you have told me if they had failed? If they got hurt? Or killed?"

Hart is looking into Sashas eyes. Hart says "I am you're superior." Hart brushes Sashas' hand off. "You do not have the authority to deny any mission I give to E.S.13." Hart turns back to the data "Call Wallace back in. We need to finish debriefing." Sasha scoffs but gets up and drags Wallace back in.

Hart starts speaking "Jeffrey Woods is a serial killer that leaves his victims with similar facial mutilation to his own. He has confirmed killed 18 people. Many have reported encounters that they survived by being awake at the time of his entry, escaping their house, and keeping distance from him" Sasha and Wallace have sat down on either side of the table. "Those reports combined with the footage from E.S.13s helmet indicate that Jeffery Woods has ocular damage. The extent of which will be found." Hart pauses and types into something into the computer. "E.S.13s helmet footage has been sent to your work laptops. Review it and finish your reports by tomorrow night. Wallace, cover the mission details." Hart stands up and leaves swiftly. Wallace straightens in his seat and whips around to Sasha with his eyebrows raised and mouth slightly open.

Sasha looks at him and tilts her head at him slightly. He coughs and shifts "Well, uh, this morning at eight I left with E.S.13 for a small town in Michigan that, um, Jeffrey Woods had been reported to be like at. The town had been evacuated the day prior. We were lucky everyone left aha." He laughs weakly, Sasha folds her hands in front of her on the table "Erm, right well I dropped Essi-E.S.13 off at the edge of town and waited. At around six pm E.S.13 captured Jeffrey Woods and called me to pick them up. And then we came back." He flails his hands a bit. Sasha stands up "Thank you, Wallace. It's time to get Essie some dinner." She gets up and starts to leave, Wallace looks like he'd just been released from jail and jumps up and follows her.

* * *

Wallace jogs after Sasha. They enter the cafeteria. Shepard Security labs provide free meals to its employees. Probably to cover for the subpar health insurance. It's late at night the only ones in are the cooks milling about in the back and some night guards on break. Sasha beelines to the counter and a cook, Wallace thinks his name is Eric, notices her immediately, and jumps into action making up three trays. Eric always preps the trio's dinner at least when he's scheduled. Sasha directs Eric like a theater production picking and choosing the trio's dinner for the most optimal nutrition to taste ratio. Wallace privately thinks that Eric could do this by himself but he doubts that Sasha would let it go. They get towards the end of the line and Wallace sees that there are pudding cups available. He glances between Sasha, the cups, and Eric.

Sasha is too busy trying to decide between vegetables. The cups are half-hidden by some decorative leafage. Eric though catches his eyes and nods subtly.

The heist is on.

Sasha is edging closer to the end of the line. Eric comments on the merits of the potatoes over the carrots. Wallace skirts around Sasha as the two start going into the specific nutritional content of the two tubers. Gently he picks up the pudding cup. Sasha and Eric are finishing up their conversation about the tubers and are moving on to the benefits of beef. Sasha pushes the trays along the counter instead of picking them up, keeping turned to Eric. Wallace puts some nearby napkins on top of the pudding cup then puts it on the tray right next to the tall bowl of roasted potatoes. Sasha side-eyes the napkins suspiciously but then Eric makes a comment about condiments and she gets back into the conversation.

All of them are at the end of the line now and Sasha ties up her conversation with Eric while picking up her tray. She goes to pick up Essie's but Wallace picks it up first with his tray in his other hand. Sasha lifts her eyebrow at him, he smiles and shrugs. She rolls her eyes and lets him carry the trays. Wallace shoots a wide smile at Eric who shoots Wallace a smirk and a wink.


	3. Truth is in...

Robin didn't understand his brother anymore. Robin's brother always loved to be outside. Camping, hiking, birdwatching, and bug catching. Anything that was done outdoors. He would drag Robin along on these activities, especially in summer.

It's the end of Robin's senior year of high school. The tickets to his graduation ceremony are laying on the kitchen counter. Three of them. One for each of them, except for Robin.

Robin's doubting that his brother will come and is regretting spending the money on the extra ticket. His mother and father are determined that his brother is going to come. He hasn't left his room willingly in months.

Robin has seen from the backyard that his brother has plastered over the windows with pages from his entomology books. Robin can recognize those spiders from a mile away having had so many shoved in his face. His brother doesn't show that much enthusiasm about anything else. Nowadays he isn't showing interest in anything.

Robin's mother is sending him out for milk. Something that he remembers seeing in the fridge last night. She's just trying to send him away to do something to his brother. He has been keeping them from doing something to his brother but maybe his brother needs a push.

So Robin will go get milk and hope that by the time he gets back his brother will be better or something.


	4. Both Demons Alike

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact this is the chapter that I made Jeff have an accent then immediately forget what accent I gave him.

Graves likes the work he does. He just wants better health coverage. Like really, they are putting him in the direct line of these bloodthirsty people and they want him to pay for his own cast! He wouldn't have broken his ankle if his job wasn't literally to subdue a guy that can go like 60 miles an hour in one second! The cast cost like three hundred dollars by itself. Thank god that they at least pay the doctors fee. Well, the doctors are hired directly by Shepard's security so... Graves doesn't know where he was going with that. Anyway, he's on his way to guard the interrogation room. While high on painkillers. Well, it's. you see.

It's just what Graves is gonna be doing, ok? He doesn't need to justify his actions to... himself.

When he gets there Coworker, without a word, shoves him into the observation room. "Graves man. Get over here." Ivan whispers over to him. Hart is in the room. Graves tries to hide how he stumbles. His wobbling isn't that well-hidden though and he has to pause when Hart looks over. Graves awkward smile in comparison to his walk is very well hidden under his helmet and Hart looks back at the man in the interrogation room. Graves makes it over to Ivan unscathed.

"Why ain't you on crutches?" Says Ivan. "I dunno..." says Graves shrinking under Ivan's disappointment. Ivan sighs and looks back into the interrogation room. Graves follows their line of sight. In the observation room is the man that E.S.13 captured, the Goodnight killer. Or like Jeff the killer, both are not that great in Graves opinion. Neither has that intimidation factor. If you didn't know what this man has done then you'd be like 'lol what?'

Anyways the interrogator has entered the interrogation room. His hair is gray. Jeff's skin is like almost the same grey like way lighter and his skin is like disturbingly leathery and like he has no eyelids and Graves can't help but feel watched.

"Jeffery Woods, correct?"

No response from Jeff. And he's like big, tall and like you can tell he has muscles but they aren't like massive to show through his clothes or something.

"My name is Dr.-------. Do you want to know where you are?"

Jeff leans back in his chair. He's as chained down as Shepard securities aesthetic, and like budget, can allow. The same like complicated tech that suppresses E.S.13s psychic shit. And stock standard handcuffs.

"Did you commit ----‐----------"

The interrogator, doctor something or another, just lists off a bunch of murders. Well, all the murders that are... uh ... canon. Jeff's head starts to roll back like he's bored or something. When the doc finishes Jeff just says "Yup." Popping the P.

The doc gets up and Jeff's head straightens up. "Ain't you gonna ask me about my motives or some bull." Doc has his hand on the door "No." Jeff's face looks puzzled "Ain't y'all the cops?" Doc opens the door "No." Jeff shoots up but the suppressant collar makes him drop instantly. Doc walks out and closes the door.

Jeff is still groaning five minutes later when Coworker and Coworker 2 drag him out. Graves has seen the suppressant collar go off on E.S.13 and it puts them out for like two hours. Hart is still sitting in the observation room just looking into the interrogation room, head in hands. Graves glances at Ivan, Ivan shrugs. It's a little, kinda, a bit against regulation to leave someone in the observation room by themselves without you know security there. Cause of like the recording equipment or something, whatever.

Finally, Hart sighs harshly and marches out of the room. Graves and Ivan leave too. Graves checks the time and it's like 3 in the morning, he was due to get off shift like 30 minutes ago. "See you later, Ivan!" Ivan just nods and waves as they head to their next post. Graves goes towards the locker rooms. From this direction, he has to pass by the cafeteria. He sees E.S.13s handlers and the very strict one nods at him while ... um ... Wes? Is just looking smug.

* * *

With Jeffery Woods admission last night that he was in fact Jeffery Woods the more invasive test could be conducted. Everything short of vivisection anyway. Sasha will of course be keeping tabs, she can't have Hart hide something from her again. She also wants to question Jeffery further. Though the labs are far more interested in the current state of these people and creatures, Sasha personally is far more interested in their origin. Sasha knows protocol dictates that she needs to request further questioning but that would mean that it would have to take place in the interrogation room. Where the session will be recorded. Sasha can't have that.

Sasha waves away the guards from Jeffrey's cell. They leave willingly and swiftly. The cell doesn't have the classic bars instead it's a separate room with a large window into the hallway. The cells are in an isolated block, three floors tall, with 30 cells on each floor. The entire place is brightly lit and unlike most of the rest of the facility is lightly colored. Cameras are looking into every cell but no audio recording. Jeffrey is the only resident so far. Sasha stands in front of the large window as Jeffrey sits on the bench at the back of the cell.

He doesn't seem to take notice of her. Sasha doesn't mind, he's been through a lot in a short amount of time. She knocks on the glass. Jeffrey looks up slowly and, what Sasha assumes, glares. "My name is Sasha Marshall, I have some questions." Jeffrey scoffs leans forward and sets his elbows on his knees. "What are you goin to ask eh? Why would you kill my ~parents~?" He mocks.

Sasha smiles "Why did you continue to murder after you killed your parents and brother?" His face goes a bit slack. "You must have been satisfied after eliminating the cause of your... motivation?" Sasha tilts her head. "What satisfaction could I get from them? Even dead they give me nothin!" He scowls or gives some approximation of it. "Had to keep going you know, had to finish the job." Sasha nods "I understand. What was the breaking point for you?" He tilts his head and shrugs. "I don't remember, I was like 12." She hums "For me, it was the pressure my father was putting on me. I couldn't take it anymore. And the night of prom, well you can guess."

He perks up. "Well, I do remember looking at myself in the mirror and knowin that they had lied to me." He spits on the floor "They ad always told me that lyin was for scum, that _respectful_ people were above it." He shrugs "Then I don't know." He shrugs again and shakes his head. "Thank you for answering so willingly. I'll be back later."

* * *

The medical bed was chill and the sheet was thin. They were in the medical wing getting their daily checkup. A guard was across the room getting told off by a doctor. It wasn't loud but enough for them to hear that it was happening. Their doctor was comparing some charts. They started patting their legs in an odd pattern. Their patting steadily becomes more intricate now including finger tapping. Their doctor nods, to herself? She takes the pen behind her ear, her hair catching a bit, and writes something down on her notepad. They don't care to find out what she's writing. She turns to them "Everything's good Essie, You can go now."

As they leave they look at the guard. And he is looking at them. When it's open the medical wing doesn't have doors, except the offices, so they have to wait until they're around the corner to relax. They are heading back to their room to get Crawlie when Handler(nice) joins them from another hallway. "So you actually have shi-tuff on your agenda today." Handler(nice) holds up a clipboard. They look at Handler(nice) in the face. "You have to attend meetings and observe some tests on the weirdo." They make a sort of rat shape with their hands and wiggle it. "Haha, Yea you can take Bart with you." Handler(nice) smiles broadly most teeth showing. They know that means they shouldn't take Crawlie with them.

With Crawlie heavy on their shoulder, they walk in pace with Handler(nice). Handler(nice) enters the meeting room first holding the door open for them. Handler(mean) and some others were already in the room. Handler(nice) and they went to stand with Handler(mean). Handler(mean) hisses at Crawlie, who squeaks back, but neither says anything. The others in the room start sitting down. All of them are talking about missions and lists and murders. It's all very boring to them.

The Supervisor walks in. Instead of sitting down with the Handlers, they walk behind and slightly right of the Supervisor. "We are here to determine the next target that E.S.13 will acquire." Then they fade out for the next couple of hours. People yell, people argue, people agree, then disagree, until people settle. "We will determine the deployment date later when we have more information about where the target is." The Supervisor finishes the meeting, everyone but The Supervisor leaving.

They are walking with Handler(nice) behind Handler(mean). They are a bit dazed and Crawlie sniffles at their helmet. They reach up to scratch Crawlies head. The guard from the medical wing is walking down the hall opposite of them with another slightly bigger guard. They put their hands to their sides. Handler(mean) smiles and nods at the guard. The larger guard waves back but the guard(strange) was looking at them. He passes them. They don't turn to him. But after he passes they pause and look over their shoulder, the guards are entering the meeting room.

Before they enter the examination room Handler(mean) stops them "Leave the rat out here, I am NOT being stuck in a small room with her." Pointing at Crawlie. They tilt their head and fold their hands together. "No." They bending to Handler(mean)s eye-line begging now. "No!" Crawlie squeaks and cleans Crawlies face.

"Fine then!"

They don't like watching Target(?). They don't like how he yells and trashes as the scientists try to take blood samples. Target(?) Fights as much as he can before the suppression equipment start beeping then Target(?) stops before it goes off. Handler(mean) and Handler(nice) are whispering to themselves. They feel like they didn't need to be here for this. They flinch when Target(?) lets out a sharp screech. Crawlie sniffs at their helmet seam. The scientists load their cart. Guards enter the examination room. They think that this is the appropriate time to leave but the Handlers are still talking to one another. They fuss a bit trying to get the Handlers to stop. They're still talking. The guards are looking at the group now. They steel themselves and gently tap on Handler(mean)'s shoulder.

Handler(mean) jumps a bit stopping mid-sentence and looks at the room staring at the group with surprise. "Oh! Yes, time to go then." Handler(mean) hustles Handler(nice) and them out of the examination room.


	5. Christmas Special: Ivan's on the Porch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a small chapter for Christmas and to let y'all know that I am still alive. I got a job just in time for Christmas! Send me good vibes y'all. This is an AO3 exclusive.

Ivan sits on the porch of the cabin that Shepard Security had rented out for the facility wide Christmas party. Most of the security staff were out here a bit ago but they went back in when both snow started to fall and E.S.13 bobbed out of the sliding doors.

They didn't want to leave E.S.13 out in the cold by themselves despite them being freaked out by them. The absolute stillness and the forced exaggerated body language aren't effective at setting people at ease. Ivan thinks that even them bobbing when they move is a chosen movement rather than then gravity actually effecting them.

Snow has piled on top of both Ivans lap and E.S.13s head. Like they were a pair of gnome lawn ornaments. Chatter from the party inside drifts out to them and make Ivan shiver with a memory of warmth.

E.S.13 turns their head to them, deliberately slow. Ivan knows that E.S.13 doesn't have a helmet like security but the resemblance in uncomfortable. Ivan would take a drink to have an excuse to look away but the last of their beer has frosted over and has become tasteless. Or that's just the cold getting to their tounge.

The sliding door opens with a rattle. The chatter becomes clearer but no one steps outside. E.S.13 tilts their head to the sliding door.

"You're right. It's too cold out here. Let's get back inside."

Ivan stands, they half believe that they hear ice cracking from their joints. They stand by the door waiting for E.S.13 to float their way in. E.S.13 is looking over their shoulder, still even in the face of worsening winds. After a too long moment they nod exaggerated like a slowed version of one an excited child would give.

They both head back inside. E.S13 quickly breaks off from Ivan when their co-workers approach them. For the rest of the party Ivan catchs glimpses of E.S.13 mostly by themselves but sometimes next to Hart or on eof their handlers.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lmao guys I am exhausted from life and I forgot where I was going with this work. Back to square one as they say! Anyway, on the quotev version these two were the first truly long chapters I had written. I remember being very proud of myself. Now that I look at them put together and they look even longer I still feel proud of myself.

They have been sent farther south for this target. A town in the middle of an infinite flat plane. The roaring of the wind covers most sounds and they are reduced to relying on their visors heat sensors. They have already put down the unfortunate crawling things and the flying things. They are waiting for Target to show themselves.

Target already knows that they are here. Handler (mean) has the town blockaded. Target either faces them or the bullets of the blockade.

They are waiting on the main road the wind tugging at their shirt. They have been told that the target is nocturnal. Handler (mean) and Handler (nice) argued over whether they should come evening or dead of night. They can feel the air start to turn cold, the wind slowly turning to bite. They do like Handler (mean) sometimes. They would not have liked coming at night.

There across the street next to an empty building a shift in temperature. It barely reads on the sensors but it's human-sized. Target, it has to be Target, slithers up to the edge of the sidewalk. For a moment the shrill wind stills.

The wind starts again louder than ever as Target leaps across the road. A nearby bench meets it halfway. Target greets the bench and climbs to the other side using it to launch itself once again at them.

They swing the bench back around batting its legs with a loud crack. It slams hard into the asphalt in front of them, legs bent at a wrong angle. Target's legs snap back the right way around. Target rushes to its feet. They skip back from Target, tugging a light pole from the ground. Target crouches preparing to spring forward. Just as they bring down the light pole down onto where Target was it had sprung forward.

Target's sharp nails dig into them. This close they can hear Targets gurgling otherworldly hiss. They scramble to get a hold on Target but their hands keep slipping off from Targets struggling. Target is scratching them trying to get a hold on their neck.

They shoot up into the clouds. Spinning unbalanced by the weight of Target. It has wrapped its legs around them, one leg over one shoulder and the other gripping onto their leg. They shove and pull at Target speeding along in the sky. Taking sharp turns and dangerous drives.

Target holds on tight not trying for their neck anymore but bruising them with their strength all the same. For a second they think they hear distant human-like screechs. They feel Target's nails scratching along their helmet trying to find purchase. Then a deep pressure on their arm breaking the skin.

They flip around diving headfirst back to the distant ground. Close to the ground, they start rolling. They built up speed until they felt the flesh of their arm tear away and hear a crash as Target is flung into the windows of one of the main street buildings.

They flutter to the ground far to dizzy to even think about standing up. They've never been bitten before. After the world sets itself right again they check on Target. It is mangled laying still among the shatter window glass. They call handler (nice).

* * *

Before the team got there the target had pieced itself together enough to take swipes at them. Graves felt lucky that he was in the heavily armored vehicle. E.S.13 has created like 4 new potholes in the road just slamming the target into it. To be fair all it has to do is stop. He feels a bit bad for the target as it is crushed back into another new pothole.

The targets bones snap and crackle like a sugary cereal when they reconnect. Graves wonders if the softer tissues get fixed too or if the target has any. The target does look like an adult person so, in theory, it has like lungs. It gets back up with its hands up above its head. Ms. Marshal commands E.S.13 to back down.

The capture team moves in. Circling the target and moving in slow guns at ready. The target keeps its hands up as it is led into the back of Graves truck. His communication ear price spits static, Graves takes that as the cue to start driving back to base. He can't understand most of what comes out of the communicator, he would think it's broken if he hadn't just gotten his old one replaced fresh. No one tries to stop him when he starts the truck anyway so... he's fine.

The drive is long and boring and the solid dark from the moonless night doesn't help. Graves wants to stop for coffee but he doesn't think anyone would like that so he resists the urge. He has several energy drinks with him anyway.

Seeing the stark concrete block that is Shepard labs almost felt like a blessing to Graves. He drives in barely stopping for the gate guard. When he parks more guard surround his truck and carefully extract the target, who doesn't put up any sort of resistance. They are going to immediately start questioning him. In the interrogation room of course.

Ivan helps Graves get out of the truck and they force a set of crutches on him. Ivan and Graves walk, or hobble, down the hall.

"Is it just me or do you also really want to listen in on the questioning of the new guy?" Asks Graves trying to sound relatively casual and not at all curious.

"Your shifts over Graves. You are going home and you are going to rest." Ivan glares intensely at Graves. He pretends not to notice.

"Right! The guys guarding the room would love to hear about all the potholes that E.S.13 made with the new guy." Graves says angling himself to take the corner for the interrogation room. Ivan grasps his shoulder and steers him back onto the way to the locker room.

"Graves! You have a broken ankle. You shouldn't even be here right now." They drag him into the locker room. Graves had abandoned one of the crutches out in the hallway in a desperate bid to get them to stop dragging him. "Get changed, clock out, and go home." Ivan sits him on a bench and politely turns their back. Doesn't leave the room though.

Graves sighs loudly and dramatically before getting changed back into casual clothes.

"I'll get the guys to tell you exactly what the captured said alright." Ivan says as he walks Graves to his dented car. Graves thanks him and drives off. He never gets to know all the cool stuff as it's revealed. Like Jeff didn't even _say_ anything just gave behavioral cues and whatnot. And no doubt Jack is actually going to say something!

Graves gets to his apartment building. His apartment is on the ninth floor. It's a one-bedroom one-bathroom type of set up. The windows have been plastered with newspapers. He got the couch from a yard sale back in his home town and it's like the most comfortable thing he's ever slept on.

He takes a worn spiral notebook from on top of the pile of spiral notebooks. No need to make incriminating evidence organized in Graves opinion. Months of research, the legality of which is dubious, and observations piled around a dark stinky apartment. Graves has intimate knowledge of most, he is planning on all, of the serial killers and weird creatures of the past decade or so. He knows that Jeff has killed more like 30 people than 18. That Jack is still arguably human just that his body is now also housing an eldritch creature. That E.S.13 may actually be a zombie.

Well, that one is more of a theory. Any information about who E.S.13 was before the whole telekinetic thing has been like burned or something. There's nothing, even with as close as he has gotten it still feels like E.S.13 never existed beyond 5 years ago. But nothing just comes from the void and just obeys human commands and retains a physical body of its own. So E.S.13 is a zombie.

Graves goes to the kitchenette and rummages around for food. He finds a can of beans. He almost puts it in the microwave to heat it. He has no bowls. He has to eat the beans cold out of the can. The only thing he writes in the spiral notebook is that Jack can be put back together infinitely. With a little doodle of Jack getting slammed into the ground.


	7. Setting up the Pins

Sasha deep down hates Hart. Well, it's not deep down but she shoves it down there to maintain a sense of professionalism. Hart's definition of an after-mission debrief is telling everyone what they already knew then having them, Sasha and Wallace, tell the actual mission details. Wallace can't do the presenting, he gets far too nervous in front of a crowd so really it's just her.

Hart had already covered the current information we know about this "Eyeless Jack" like it (he?) is known on the internet. So all she needed to do was review all the significant events then push the paperwork onto Wallace.

"At 7:00 our capture team arrived at a small Nebraskan town. At approx 9:00 E.S.13 encountered the target showed itself. E.S.13 then engaged in combat." Sasha put up Essie's helmet footage of them slamming Eyeless Jack into the ground and then him getting back up on the conference room projector. "It seems that Eyeless Jack has some sort of regenerative ability. At 11:00 we decided to move in despite the target not having been subdued. Once the team surrounded it, it put its hands over its head. A sign that it at least has memories from being a human. During the combat, E.S.13 received a sizable bite, for which they will be quarantined for a month."

And now to finish "Fill out your reports by midnight tomorrow and submit them to Wallace. Have a good day." Sasha patted Wallace on the shoulder, stood up, and then left. She has to make sure that Essie hasn't returned to their room.

Entering the medical wing feels like entering a holy place for Sasha. Everything is neat, organized, and everyone listens so much more. She goes to the front counter which is open to the examination beds behind. The nurse looks up from his computer. He points down the right hallway "They are in room 40." Sasha smiles at him and turns down the right hallway.

Room 40 holds Essie, a bed, a desk, and a ceiling light fixture. Essie is standing in the middle of the room dejected, it looks like their arm did get treatment with it wrapped to an almost comedic size. Sasha speaks into the room's intercom "Essie, are you doing fine?" Essie nods their head. "You are going to be in here for a while. Do you need anything?" Essie makes their hands wiggle in the way that means that they want that rat. Sasha is not bringing vermin into the medical wing. "Anything else?" Sasha prays that they want a book or a puzzle or something that isn't a rat. Essie shakes their head in a negative. "I'll be back by tomorrow." Essie waves Sasha goodbye.

Sasha entered the cells. Eyeless Jack was still going through tests. He hadn't _needed_ to be interrogated when his identity was so clear. So the interrogation only lasted as long as it took to start and stop the recording equipment. She faces Jeff's cell what she had to ask was important to the direction her half-formed plan was going to unfold. "Jeff, What do you want to do?"

* * *

Graves comes into work hungry for information, and food. He has been awake all night not just from his insomnia this time. Speed walking through the hallways with both eyes peeled for Ivan. They are the only coworker that Graves took the time to talk to, note that it was not out of his own free will, and the only one he knows the name of all the same. And like they have been a fountain of gossip. This six-foot 10-inch slab of muscle that makes a dart rifle look like a child's toy is a shameless gossip. Graves has a theory that it's because he only sticks around them because of the flow of information but Graves prefers the idea that they just want another set of ears.

There is Ivan leaning on the wall, like a cool kid, near the door of the cafeteria. Like he was waiting. Graves approaches, of course, he has a promise to collect on.

"What's up? Did it say anything?" Says Graves. Ivan shrugs "If you call the ten seconds of recording an interrogation."

Graves freezes. They didn't even question him. He's going to have to just steal research notes. Or ... or he could.

Ivan interrupts his thought "We are guarding the cells later today." Graves whips his head up. "You owe me one." They say, walking down the hall away from Graves.

Graves resists the urge to follow him. Technically He's stationed at the gate right now. He pulls out his phone and checks the schedule and finds that one of his coworkers had dropped their shift and now Graves, and Ivan, are guarding the cells for the last hour and a half of his shift.

Graves strolls to his post content with the chance to question Jack later. Of course, he is still going to steal those notes later. When he is on lab shift would be the best time. And maybe he will follow up on that idea he had. Hart does seem to trust him more than the other guards, well he hopes that it's Graves that Hart trusts and not Ivan. That would be so embarrassing.


End file.
